In recent years, luxury brands like Dior and Louis Vuitton are increasingly willing to partner with traditional streetwear and skate brands to connect with the next-generation streetwear-conscious consumer, says Einhorn. In fact, the number of luxury collaborations increased 200 percent between 2020 and 2021, he adds. “If you look at the brands they collaborate with, most of the time they are skate brands.”
When it works, it works, says Blondey, pointing to Louis Vuitton’s collaboration with professional skater Clarke, managed by the late Virgil Abloh. StockX data shows that the average Lucien Clarke x Louis Vuitton skate shoe is trading for $500 more than retail price. “This puts you in some pretty rarefied company when it comes to fashion sneakers,” says Einhorn.
Still, it comes with a caveat: “If a glut of other fashion houses and skaters were to follow suit, the novelty would soon wear off and then there would be a lot less of ‘isn’t this awesome for the individual?’ conversation and much more of the ‘why are we allowing these multi-billion dollar corporations to plunder our culture’ conversation, and that’s not a fun conversation to be on either side of,” adds Einhorn.
Legendary skater Steve Berra told StockX that “there will always be enemies” when it comes to winning over the skateboarding community. StockX launched its skate strategy in late 2019, with the help of Berra, to capitalize on its appeal among the skate community. Some pro skaters may be frustrated with their brand deals, as brands may see them as a moving billboard on a skating rig, says StockX vice president of cultural marketing Tom Woodger. Recruiting Berra and listening to skater pain points helps StockX authentically connect with skateboarding.
King is one of five skaters on the StockX skate team, which also includes Robert Neal and Zion Wright, launched in 2019. In addition to creating content and competing internationally for StockX, each skater can choose how to tell their story and give back to their community
Giving skaters freedom to shape projects.
While traditional brand or retail campaigns may prioritize reach and amplification, skate activations and community projects may have different goals, says Woodger. StockX focuses on community feedback and presence in skateboarding media and skateboarders’ Instagram feeds, rather than the number of products or registrations. “It’s about getting the brand in the right places,” he says. Also, unlike football or basketball, professional skaters’ contracts can be much more flexible, allowing more creative freedom in how brands harness skateboarding talent.
Source: www.voguebusiness.com